Chatbot technology is disrupting almost every industry, with
everyone from Verizon and Capital One to NASA jumping onboard. But while
artificial intelligent is certainly not a new concept, developing and
implementing chatbots in a practical and profitable way is still in its
relative infancy. Unlike other, more established technologies, there aren’t
necessarily any real standards for using bots. Thankfully, there are things we
can learn from those already paving the way. Here are five real-world tips to
help your company bring a chatbot strategy to fruition.

Identify audience and need.

For bots to produce ROI, they must solve a specific problem
(or set of problems) and/or deliver real, measurable improvement (such as with
staff efficiency or productivity). As such, the initial phase of your chatbot
strategy should involve identifying who you are trying to help and exactly why.
The narrower you can get with this step, the better the outcome. Keep in mind
you may have multiple iterations of the same engine, based on the user you are
targeting.

Select a platform.

Once you have a clearer picture of your target user and
target problem, the next step should involve choosing a platform through which
the bots will be built and managed. This is the phase of the project that can
overwhelm some decision makers. The good news is, there are platforms (like
Ayehu) that are so easy to use and quick to implement that you can be up and
running in mere minutes – no coding or scripting required. Even if you have a
highly talented IT team, this would be the best case scenario.

Define your measure(s) of success.

One of the biggest challenges of chatbots (and artificial
intelligence in general) is proving financial value. The easiest and most
straightforward way to approach this is to determine as early as possible which
metrics matter the most. What type of ROI do those in the C-suite and/or other
stakeholders expect out of this initiative? Bear in mind, also, that some
measures of success aren’t as easy to quantify, but are just as – if not more –
important, such as end-user engagement levels.

Start fast – don’t wait for perfection.

Many people make the mistake of trying to make things
perfect before rolling out their project. Instead, the focus should be on
building fast and executing fast, even if that involves some degree of failure
in the process. Take, for instance, NASA, which approaches each chatbot
initiative as a small startup with the goal of launching as quickly as
possible. If you cannot iterate that fast, optimize the process as much as
possible. For example, while Verizon was developing their Mix and Match bot,
the consumer plan was being developed simultaneously. This made the actual
rollout more seamless and successful.

Adjust and learn continuously.

A chatbot strategy isn’t something you set and forget. There
is also the need for continuous adaptations and ongoing training to consider. Artificial
intelligence is a fluid technology, which means your bots should continue to
learn and improve over time. There will almost always be something to add,
whether it’s a new term or a tweak in “personality” to better serve end-users. The
main thing to remember is that chatbot development is an ongoing process and
must be treated as such if it is to be successful.

About the Author

Gabby Nizri, Co-Founder, CEO of Ayehu
With nearly 20 years’ experience in technology innovation, Gabby is the driving force behind Ayehu. His multidisciplinary background in product engineering, sales and professional services brings together key elements necessary to deliver the company’s IT process automation solution that has proven to be a force multiplier for businesses facing operational IT and cyber security challenges. Since co-founding the company, Gabby has advanced his thought leadership in IT automation and been dedicated to setting the company on a path to strong growth and validation. The Ayehu platform continues to earn accolades from customers, partners and industry experts including Gartner, Red Herring and Deloitte. Prior to founding Ayehu, Gabby held various operational and management positions at successful Israeli technology enterprises including Infogate Online Ltd, Webmaster and Walla Communications Ltd.

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Ayehu is the IT Automation and Orchestration platform built for the Digital Era. Powered by machine learning algorithms, it acts as a force multiplier for IT operations, security operations, managed service providers (MSPs) and managed security service providers (MSSPs). Customers can significantly save time on manual and repetitive tasks, respond to incidents with pinpoint accuracy, accelerate mean time to resolution, and maintain greater control over IT infrastructure.